Hide and Seek

Playing a Game of Hide and Seek with Braid and Kate

After an exhilarating game of Hide and Seek with the girls tonight, the award for Best Seeker goes to Miss Braid Stevens and the award for Best Hider goes to Miss Kate Stevens. I've always known that Kate was a good hider. She does it all the time to me and scares me half to death. She isn't afraid of the dark, is as quiet as a mouse and can stay perfectly still for long periods of time. It doesn't matter how long or how loud you may yell, she isn't going to expose her hiding spot. I looked for her one day for at least 10 minutes and was really starting to freak out when I heard a small movement in the bathroom. She had climbed in the bottom cabinet under the sink and had closed the door behind her. This was my first experience with her hiding. A new one if the clothes racks at the department stores and just this last   Sunday at church, she hid in a completely dark classroom against the wall. Luckily I had seen her go in or I don't know how I would have found her. It would have been the entire church on a search party. It was tonight however that I discovered Braid was so good at finding me. I really tried to hide well and she would find me within seconds. She has always been observant and a good listener (when she wants to hear). It was also exciting to play a game that both girls understood the concept. Kate can only count to two but she repeats two about 5 times so it evens out in the end on time being aloud to hide.

Horseback Riding

The girls and I also have another big accomplish this past month. We have been able to go horseback riding all by ourselves. We have some very sweet friends that let us use their two horses. The horses are amazing and very trustworthy. I am able to put Braid on her horse first and then put Kate up on the horse that I ride with her. I then get up with Kate and then grab the lead for Braid's horse. The first 30 minutes are always the best. Kate holds on to the saddle horn and the horses tend to not test you as much. Then after about the first half hour, Kate begins to grow tired and you have to hold her up as well as pull Braid's horse and keep it from trying to eat grass along the way. I can only last for about an hour but we still have lots of fun. Braid has also been practicing using the reins and riding by herself in the pen after we finish our ride. She is doing really well and I am anxious to go for a ride with just her. Braid would ride all day and I am looking forward to the longer rides as well. I wasn't able to take pictures when we went by ourselves but we went again with some friends and I was able to take some pictures.

Such a big girl riding all by herself.

 I am also trying to teach them a few simple rules like don't walk behind the horses, etc. This is how I find Kate most of the time after I turn around for a few seconds. Hugging the horses entire head. Braid and Kate both do not have any fear around the horses, this is a good and bad thing in my opinion.

 Best Friends. Braid and Natalie.

Loving the Country Life

The girls and I have been soaking up the last days of Fall weather and enjoying playing in the dirt. Both Braid and Kate love to play outside. If they have dirt, some sort of utensil (stick, shovel, cup, etc.) and rocks then they can make it hours. Add water into the mix and you double your time. Neither one could care less about staying clean so that makes us all very happy. We may have dirt in our hair, under our fingernails and in our pockets but that doesn't stop the fun.

If this doesn't express her true love of mud and the sun then I don't know what else could...

 Braid can spend hours like this playing out in the dirt making mud cookies and mud pie.

Bottle Feeding Baby Kittens with Aunt Meagie (This is what Kate calls her)

 Also, as a special treat Meagan let them pick a pomegranate. Crazy if you ask me.

 It wouldn't be complete without story time from Aunt Meagie. The girls sure love their Aunt Meagie!

Sneak Peak for Halloween. Can you guess what one of them might be?